One of the better-known versions of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" is the cover by the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants (TMBG), who released it on their album Flood in 1990. It was released as the second single from that album in the same year. TMBG's version is at a faster tempo than the original.

The lyrics were used in the March 21, 1954 episode of The Jack Benny Program during a sketch about a man trying to buy a train ticket to Constantinople. Jack Benny and Frank Nelson proceed to use the lyrics to dispute where the man can go.

The They Might Be Giants version is used in Season 2 Episode 16 "Just Say Me" of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager".

A few lines of the song are sung by some Muppet rats at the beginning of the second-season episode of Muppets Tonight guest-starring Pierce Brosnan. When host Clifford tells the audience that the show can be seen everywhere from Istanbul to Constantinople, Rizzo the rat corrects him that Istanbul is Constantinople.

On NBC's America's Got Talent on August 16, 2011, the act Those Funny Little People performed a routine to the They Might Be Giants version of this song.[5]

On CBS' Cold Case, the 2008 episode "Pin Up Girl" features a scene set in 1953, where the victim entertains her companions by singing and dancing to the Four Lads version of the song. The song ends up being part of a clue that helps move the case forward.

In the TV Series Raising Hope, Maw Maw is a pro at Jenga while listening to the song.

During the TV series Get Smart (season 3) episode "Die Spy", several lines of the song are spoken as interplay between Don Adams and Stu Gilliam.

In Gilmore Girls, when Lorelai is being quizzed about her history knowledge, she responds "I don't know that one. I do know Istanbul is Constantinople, so if you've got a date in Constantinople, she'll be waiting in Istanbul" (Season 3, episode 3).

The song is featured in Just Dance Kids 2 and Just Dance 4, both by publisher Ubisoft. It's later featured in Just Dance Unlimited (Just Dance 2016, Just Dance 2017, and Just Dance 2018) and Just Dance Now, this only applies to the latter version mentioned above.

In week 10 of series 12 of Strictly Come Dancing, Caroline Flack performed a Charleston with professional partner Pasha Kovalev to this song performed live on the night by the Dave Arch band. Her dance achieved the highest score of the series so far, earning herself 39 points from the judges. She also performed the dance to the song in the final, earning a perfect score of 40 points.

On the TV show Bunheads, season 1 episode 6 concludes with Sasha, one of the main characters, leads a fantasy contemporary ballet dance number set to the They Might Be Giants version, in the form of a Pas de trois.